Spring inspection talk turns into a practical shop-floor lesson: don’t ignore early warning signs because small issues (alternator bearing chirps, axle seal seepage, brake drag) can snowball into $5,000 repairs. Host Niall “Motormouth” Jenkins shares real fleet and customer stories, including a Toyota FJ Cruiser alternator noise, a Honda Civic with rear brake problems from an emergency brake cable left on, and a muffler rattling internally. He also argues for being a “prosumer” by mastering service work orders to avoid being shortchanged, plus a fuel-saving challenge and reminders about winter tire timing.
" Two vehicles in the shop, both driving fine....and both about to cost real money. The question is -do you fix it now for a few hundred bucks, or ignore it and roll the dice on a $5,000 repair?"
In this episode, we're in the shop looking at two real vehicles and five issues that were caught early - but could turn into expensive repairs if ignored.
From a muffler that sounds like it's full of cornflakes, to a leaking distributor O-ring, causing oil to leak onto the transmission, Valve cover gasket leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold, faulty coolant temperature gauge sending unit, sunbaked trim and paint, and an FJ Cruiser starting to show signs of alternator bearing wear and a leaking axle seal - this is what real - world vehicle ownership looks like.
None of these are catastrophic today. That's the point.
Catching these issues early gives you options. Ignoring them? That's how small problems turn into big repair bills, stress, and unexpected downtime.
This episode breaks down what to watch for, why it matters, and how staying ahead of your vehicle can save you time, money, and headaches down the road.
Let me know your thoughts, do you fix things as you find them, or wait until they force your hand? send me an e-Mail [email protected]
#CarMaintenance #AutoRepair. #VehicleInspection
Motormouth /Car Connection Merchandise available in our online store @ ccbusnet.com, Thank You to all those who have made a purchase. Proceeds to support those struggling with addiction get the help they need at a Total Freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA where a New Life awaits them there! You Guys Rock ! Motormouth & Skippy.
More Episodes and ... project Details & Links Available at Car Connection Business Network .com (ccbusnet.com) you'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build & repair work & connect with our program partners, click their logo to meet them, Thank You for your support, we appreciate you all very much! Nile Motormouth Jenkins.
Please, Like, Share, Follow, Subscribe, Leave your comment, Ring the notification bell miss nothing, Join our online community. These little things help our platforms to grow allowing us to reach more people. Watch & listen. Thank You So Much! Skippy & Motormouth.
"[104.7s] important. What are we going to be talking about this morning? The spring inspection really counts.
[112.9s] Being in the know will prevent chaos and stress, and I have a couple of stories to share myself,"
A spring inspection is a check-up you do after winter to make sure your car is ready for the months ahead. The goal is to find small problems early so they don’t turn into expensive repairs later.
A spring inspection is a seasonal vehicle check aimed at catching issues before warmer-weather driving. It often focuses on items that change with temperature and road conditions, like tires, brakes, fluids, and suspension wear.
"around the 15th of April is when my insurance company says we can take our winter tires off, which is good because we don't want to be in 50 plus degrees Fahrenheit on our winter tires chewing the rubber off"
Winter tires are designed with softer rubber compounds and tread patterns that grip in cold, wet, and snowy conditions. In warm weather, that softer compound wears faster and can reduce tread life.
"so I'm going to use myself and our little miniature fleet of vehicles we keep going, our daily drivers, so that we're in the know because we don't have time to mess around with not being in the know."
A daily driver is the car you use all the time for normal life. Keeping it inspected helps avoid problems when you need it most.
“Daily drivers” are the vehicles you use regularly for everyday commuting and errands. Because they’re used often, staying on top of inspections and maintenance helps prevent breakdowns and unexpected repair costs.
"When things get busy, summer gets here, our event vehicles come out, they've all got to be inspected and checked over and make sure that everything is as it should be."
Event vehicles are the cars you bring to shows or special events. They need a check before the event so you don’t get stuck on the day.
“Event vehicles” are cars used for shows, events, or outings rather than everyday commuting. They often need extra pre-event checks because they may sit for periods and then be driven harder or longer on event days.
"The NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Act has kiboshed that. These aren't going out on the road so they're parked."
“Kiboshed” just means “shut down” or “stopped.” Here, it means the trucks were prevented from being driven.
“Kiboshed” is slang meaning something was stopped or prevented. In this context, it suggests regulatory action halted the trucks from going out on the road.
"There's people all across North America. It's a real disaster right now. So all of you who are driving like Hondas, Toyotas, Nissan's, even Kia's and Hyundai's, you're doing really good with quality versus what the domestics are struggling with."
They’re calling out Honda as one of the brands they think tends to be more dependable. That can matter when you’re deciding what to buy.
The host mentions Honda as part of a group of brands they believe are holding up better in quality than “domestics.” This is a common consumer framing: some brands are perceived as more reliable, which can affect shopping decisions and resale value.
"So all of you who are driving like Hondas, Toyotas, Nissan's, even Kia's and Hyundai's, you're doing really good with quality versus what the domestics are struggling with."
They’re mentioning Toyota as a brand they think is doing better on quality. People often choose it because they expect fewer problems over time.
Toyota is grouped with other non-domestic brands as being comparatively strong on quality. In real-world shopping, brand reputation often influences expectations for reliability and long-term ownership costs.
"...the service advisor is writing up the repair order."
The repair order is the dealership’s official checklist for your car’s visit. It records what’s wrong and what they plan to fix, and it can affect whether warranty covers the work.
A repair order (RO) is the formal document that lists the customer’s concerns, the diagnosis, the approved repairs, and the parts/labor to be performed. It’s also the document that can determine whether warranty claims get approved or denied.
"...If a claim did not go through... One item's missed on a warranty claim and it's denied."
A warranty is coverage that pays for certain repairs for a limited time or mileage. This segment is saying that the dealer’s paperwork has to be done correctly for warranty to actually pay.
Warranty is the manufacturer’s promise to cover certain repairs for a set period/mileage, usually when failures are within covered terms. In this segment, warranty is central because the speaker argues that documentation quality in the work order can determine whether claims are approved.
"...gas misers. Yep, people will be hunting for them... What does it cost to fill a Dodge Caravan? $230 I'm being told."
The Dodge Caravan is a minivan. The host is using it as an example to show how much it can cost to fill up with gas right now.
The Dodge Caravan is a long-running minivan model known for family hauling and frequent use as a practical daily vehicle. In the segment, it’s used as an example for fuel costs—how expensive it can be to fill up when gas prices are high.
"[1898.8s] ...it's down low where it gets a lot of road splash."
Road splash is the dirty water and grime kicked up by the tires. If a part sits low, it gets hit more often, which can make it wear out faster.
Road splash is water and debris thrown up by tires that can reach components mounted low on the vehicle. In this story, the alternator’s low mounting makes it more exposed to splash, accelerating bearing wear.
"[1919.5s] ...So it's chirping and that means get it out of there before it locks up..."
A chirping sound is often an early warning that something is starting to wear out. Here, the chirp points to the alternator bearing, not a simple belt fix.
A chirping noise is often an early warning sign of bearing/belt-related issues, especially in the charging system. The host uses the chirp as the key symptom that indicates the alternator needs attention before it fails.
"there were no noises. When I came out, the alternator was like screaming. So how does that happen? It just happens. It's age."
The alternator is what keeps your car’s battery charged while the engine is running. If it starts to fail, it can make scary noises and the car may lose power or stop running.
The alternator is the engine-driven generator that keeps the battery charged and powers the car’s electrical system while you’re driving. When it starts failing, it can make loud noises and eventually stop charging, which can leave you stranded.
"Don't go playing with your car into that deep water. Not a good idea. Okay, fellas, it's mostly fellas because I have Lake Scott at the end of my driveway, even still yet today."
If you drive through deep water, water can get into places it shouldn’t. That can cause electrical problems and damage parts over time.
Driving through deep water can cause electrical and mechanical issues, especially for components mounted low in the engine bay or underbody. Water intrusion can also lead to corrosion and contamination of critical systems.
"And I can smell axle, I can smell rear end grease there 80W 90. It has a flavor that you'll never forget once you've smelt it the first time."
80W-90 is the type of oil used in the rear axle/differential. It’s chosen to stay lubricating across different temperatures.
80W-90 is a viscosity grade for gear oil used in many differentials and some axle assemblies. The “W” indicates cold-weather behavior, and the number range indicates how thick it stays under operating temperatures.
"Oh yeah, a number of items. The one that really, really grabbed me was the right rear wheel was locking up. For some reason, press the brake and the car would kind of dive at the right rear like it was squatting like a dog to have a pee."
If a wheel “locks up,” it stops spinning and starts sliding. That usually means something is wrong with that wheel’s braking, like it’s not releasing fully.
“Locking up” means the wheel stops rotating and skids instead of rolling. When it happens at the right rear, it can point to a brake drag or a brake component issue on that corner, and it can also cause the car to squat/dive under braking.
"you can watch the videos on that replaced power steering rack and pinion bellows on both sides, tie rod ends, and a full brake job."
Tie rod ends are steering parts that help aim the wheels. If they wear out, steering can feel loose and tires can wear unevenly.
Tie rod ends connect the steering linkage to the steering knuckles and help control wheel alignment. Worn tie rod ends can cause loose steering feel, vibration, and uneven tire wear.
"And there was lots of stress on the rear shoes back there. The wheel cylinder survived."
Brake shoes are the friction surfaces inside a drum brake that press outward to slow the vehicle. Overheating and improper adjustment can stress the shoes and lead to uneven contact or accelerated wear.
"But it survived. I cleaned it all off, readjusted the rear brakes. They were 10 miles out of adjustment. So there's another spring issue that needs to be corrected."
Drum brakes require periodic adjustment so the shoes sit close enough to the drum for consistent braking. Being “out of adjustment” can increase pedal travel, reduce braking effectiveness, and contribute to uneven wear.
"So the O-ring is leaking. And oil is oozing down the transmission housing to the underside."
An O-ring is a small rubber seal that helps keep fluids from leaking. If it gets hard or damaged, oil can start escaping around it.
An O-ring is a rubber seal used to prevent fluid leaks at joints. If the O-ring near the distributor is failing, oil can seep out and run along nearby housings.
"Doing a little bit of cosmetic surgery on the front. I removed the front bumper cover. The sun has kind of baked the clear coat off the bumper on the top of it."
The front bumper cover is the outer skin on the front bumper. If the finish is peeling or the plastic is damaged, it may need replacement or repainting.
A front bumper cover is the outer plastic panel on the front bumper that protects components and affects appearance. Damage like clear-coat failure or rippling often requires replacement or refinishing rather than simple spot repair.
"The sun has kind of baked the clear coat off the bumper on the top of it. So I don't want it to fester and end up burning into the rubber compound on the bumper cover."
Clear coat is the shiny protective layer on top of paint. If the sun damages it, the paint can start to look dull, peel, or fail completely.
Clear coat is the transparent top layer in automotive paint that protects the color coat from UV and weather. When clear coat “bakes off,” it can lead to peeling, fading, and a rough surface that’s difficult to restore without refinishing.
"So I just have to water sand the top of the bumper cover. So I took it completely off."
Water sanding means sanding with water to smooth the surface before painting. It helps the new paint stick and blend better.
Water sanding is wet sanding with water to smooth and prep a surface for repainting. It helps remove damaged clear coat and feather edges so the new paint blends cleanly.
"And the grille, you know, this black plastic stuff that goes gray. I think I've tried just about every product on the freaking market for that."
The grille is the front part with openings that lets air through to cool the car. Plastic grilles can fade in the sun and look gray unless restored.
A grille is the front opening and trim that helps with airflow to cooling components. Plastic grilles often fade or turn gray over time from UV exposure, and restoring them may require specific plastic-safe products or removal for proper access.
"The lifetime muffler looks great on the outside, but there was this annoying noise. I can't even really describe it... a scraping, chuffing kind of sound."
The muffler is what makes the car sound less loud. If parts inside it break, it can start making weird rattling or scraping noises.
A muffler uses internal chambers and baffles to reduce exhaust noise. When the internal components break down, you can get rattles, scraping, or “chuffing” sounds, and the exhaust can become louder or less controlled.
"...keeping up on the aesthetics, don't let things slide. You know, you got a rust spot, get it looked after."
Rust is metal breaking down due to moisture and salt. Small rust spots can turn into bigger problems if you don’t address them early.
A rust spot is localized corrosion on the body or underbody. If it’s not treated early, rust can spread and compromise structural components or create hidden damage that’s more expensive to repair.
"Agreed. A 99 Honda Civic DX that's still alive doesn't give me a whole lot of problems. That's where I'm going with it... It was loved by the first owner, maintained very well by the first owner..."
They’re pointing to a 1999 Honda Civic DX as an example of a car that didn’t cause many headaches. The message is that maintenance and a simpler design can mean fewer expensive surprises.
The speaker uses a “1999 Honda Civic DX” as an example of a car that stayed reliable with good maintenance. The point is that older, simpler cars can be less prone to expensive problems than many newer vehicles, especially when they’ve been cared for by prior owners.
"This is what I'm talking about. If I can do it, you can do it. We have our car connection, fleet maintenance system all put together for you."
A fleet maintenance system is a way to keep lots of cars maintained on a schedule. Instead of fixing things randomly, it helps make sure each car gets checked and serviced at the right time.
A fleet maintenance system is a structured way to service and track repairs for multiple vehicles (like a company car fleet). It typically includes scheduled inspections, maintenance records, and standardized processes so issues don’t get missed.
"They're just waiting for photographs from me, pictures of the kit, and so that you can see that special pricing for those who are subscribed to our YouTube channel versus those who are not."
Special pricing just means a lower price for certain people. In car services, it can mean discounts on repairs, parts, or packages.
“Special pricing” refers to discounted rates offered to a specific group, such as subscribers. In automotive contexts, this can apply to parts, labor, or service packages, and it’s often tied to membership or marketing channels.
"That's right. 30-day fuel saving challenge is coming up. I'm watching radar. Next week, we should be hovering around 60 degrees almost every day."
A “fuel saving challenge” is a structured attempt to improve fuel economy over a set period (here, 30 days). It usually involves driving habits and possibly maintenance steps that reduce wasted fuel, with the goal of measurable cost savings.
"...that's going to save you guys minimum $100 a month in your pocket. If you're willing to put in the work, the 30-day fuel savings challenge back to back..."
Fuel savings means you’re getting better gas mileage. If you drive more efficiently, you use less gas and pay less money.
Fuel savings refers to reducing fuel consumption so you spend less money per month. The speaker frames it as a practical budgeting outcome from improved efficiency and consistent participation in the challenge.
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Good morning folks, you're tuned into Car Connection where the coffee's hot, the tools
are ready and the talk is always tuned up.
I'm your host, Niall Motormouth Jenkins, coming to you, straight from the Car Connection
Workshop where we mix a little humor, a little know-how, and a whole lot of horsepower.
Here it's not just about fixing cars, it's about keeping you rolling, saving you money,
giving you the confidence to understand what's under that hood. From the classics,
to the commuters, the weird noises, and to the what the heck moments, we've got you covered.
So grab your coffee, sit back, join the crew, because this is Car Connection, your Monday
through Saturday morning pit stop for stories, smarts, a few good laughs, and I'm Niall Motormouth
Jenkins, we're shifting it in to drive this morning. Well, getting back into the groovy, baby,
it is Tuesday, episode 131, season two. Welcome aboard, glad to have you with us,
thank you for inviting us into your world. If you're sliding through the drive-through,
picking up your favorite morning beverage and perhaps a snack, yeah, it's a drive, right?
Yeah, you might as well have a snack, have your favorite beverage and a snack, but double
check your order, you know, people are just getting back into gear this morning after a long weekend.
Hope you had a fabulous long weekend. Weather wasn't stupendous, but we weren't snow blowing,
and you know, we put the winter shovels away, so let's focus on moving forward. That's what's
important. What are we going to be talking about this morning? The spring inspection really counts.
Being in the know will prevent chaos and stress, and I have a couple of stories to share myself,
because we are working on our fleet vehicle maintenance, making sure everything is top
drawer heading into the summer. Can't be scrambling to take care of things last minute,
because that's when things get hairy, extremely hairy, crazy, stupid, and completely off the wall,
if you can relate to that. Yeah, so I much rather be in the know and get on top of things ahead
of time, so things may, there may be some things that are going to take some time to get it taken
care of, and there may be some stuff you go, well, how the heck did that happen? And, you know,
you got to come up with a game plan, how we're going to take care of all this stuff and get it all
done in time before the heat switch gets turned on, because we're heading for the middle of April.
What does that mean? We're going to talk about that too in just a few minutes. Car Connection
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both Darien Lake, Darien Center, New York. They're close to Darien Lake. That's what was on my mind
there. Sydney Manitoba with Rick and Robin, the facilitators and Pastor John and his lady Victoria
and their entire team are there for those who are ready to say goodbye to their addiction and mean it.
They're ready to take it on. Total Freedom Addiction Campuses, one located in Darien Center,
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those who are going through addiction, we have to love on them, be patient with them. They're going
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at Total Freedom Addiction Campuses. So good morning to everyone. Let's take a look at the
weather report for today. I'm hoping the heat comes on very soon. And thinking of past spring times
where the temperature seemed to bounce around all over the place, then suddenly you get that first
day, like 77 degrees and you're like, oh man, I think I'm dying out here. Yeah, it's hot. Oh,
it's hot. It's really hot. I just have one word to say to those folks. And you have to say it fast
and it is one word. Shit it. That's it. We don't have to shovel that. We don't have to dress up
like the Michelin man. What have we got happening today? Well, we have a little bit of the wet stuff
posted here and that right at the moment on the south shores of Lake Erie.
It's spritzing outside. That's my interpretation. 0.05 of an inch of wet stuff and it's rain.
Okay, take it easy. 26 degrees right now with windy conditions. Very windy here.
Wind is making it feel colder about nine degrees. Cloudy conditions from
1 p.m. till 2 p.m. today with partly cloudy conditions expected at 2 p.m. Today's temperature
range will be from 25 degrees to 36 degrees and it will feel more like four to here it is freezing
point 32 degrees out. So you're going to need to dress a little warmer still. But hey, yesterday
it wasn't supposed to be nice and the sun came out early afternoon and it was it turned out to
be an amazing day. So you never know when things look bleak things can change. Yeah, so yesterday
was great. Let's have our morning swiggy together brought to us by the team at Niagara Block 5000
Montrose Road Niagara Falls. Building Canada since 1931. Think about that. I wonder if they've had a
coffee break. Man, that's a long shift. Wow. Well, here's how we do it on 321 whatever your
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All right, let's get started. Lots to get through. Remember the biggest toolbox drawer we have is
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including this one. Once it loads and it goes live at 8am this morning, it will be there on our
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So I got to look into that today and check that out. So at least going forward each daily
morning podcast exports over to our YouTube channel and also goes live as well. So working on that.
So if you notice those quirky things going on, we've already noticed those quirky things right
away and we've been walking through that as well. Well at some point I'm looking at the
weather and keeping a close eye on it because around the 15th of April is when my insurance company
says we can take our winter tires off, which is good because we don't want to be in 50 plus degrees
Fahrenheit on our winter tires chewing the rubber off because the rubber is really, really soft
and you can wear down a set of winter tires very, very quickly when the road surface reaches 50
degrees. So just there's one point for you. So I'm preparing right now. I've already got one vehicle
changed over the rocket. We'll talk about that in just a few moments with our topic this morning,
which is the spring inspection. What is that? The vehicle inspection really counts. This is where
the rubber meets the road and I say that for a couple of reasons because there's only two ways
of owning an automobile and that is owning it and not being in the know or owning it and being in the
know. One gives you a lot more stress and chaos while the other one gives you mental freedom and
so I'm going to use myself and our little miniature fleet of vehicles we keep going,
our daily drivers, so that we're in the know because we don't have time to mess around with
not being in the know. When things get busy, summer gets here, our event vehicles come out,
they've all got to be inspected and checked over and make sure that everything is as it should be.
We can't be fussing and messing with them when the shows and events are happening,
the day that they're happening. You cannot be putting your getting your poop together
last minute. It does not work. We need to arrive and we need to be there to support our sponsors
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and be in the know. They want to do stuff but they don't know what's going on around them.
So our job for 32 years is to come alongside a non-profit, faith-based organization not funded
by any government granting just by you, me, and local businesses, just letting people know who
they are, where they are, and what they're doing and so if it should be pressed upon your heart
to do something, let me tell you, they feed almost 300 people out the door, hot meals every Tuesday
and every Friday, and it's getting to be really, really expensive on their budget. So they do not
want to pull that back whatsoever because the need is there. What could you do? Check them out on
our website. Again, all our program partners are there, click on their logo, meet them, and thank
you to all of you who are giving them your business because that's what counts. That's
exactly what counts. We have to give to get, right? That's what life is all about. If it's all about
you, then thank you for letting us live on your planet. Much appreciate it but it's not all about
you. You know, to whom much is given, much is required and we need to help. If you see a need,
fill a void, make a friend. That's Professor Speak right there. See a need, fill a void,
make a friend. That's how it works. I know we've had some years where and it still continues where
division seems to be, the division bell has been ringing for a while. It's time for us
as people, as fellow Canadians and sojourners and people around the globe to stop the chaos.
See a need, fill a void, make a friend. It's that easy and forget the chaos. Let's get back to,
you know, as Bert Backerac would say, all this world needs is love, sweet love.
And that's time for us to, as people, to recognize that, forget the division bell ringing
by those who are in a position of power. Isn't it interesting how it kind of goes to their head
like strong drink? But anyways, let's not go down that rabbit hole but when it comes to,
I say that because I'm seeing it all the time. I get bombarded all the time. Organizations are
really, really running tight. I mean, all of us are running tight, amen. But they're running tight
and they need a little bit of help. If we can all do a little bit, even if it's how many five
bucks is, could everybody give together and make a difference? That's what I'm talking about. And
we're trying to do the same thing with car connection, providing the labor, fixing the vehicles for
free, getting a video to share with you, you all so we can teach you about, yeah, you know what,
you need to really respect that older car because the older ones are proving themselves to be
a heck more reliable than the stuff that's on the road today. Anything that's five years old
is a challenge and there are so many huge problems out there with them. It's disgusting how the
consumer is being a consumer. So hopefully I can make a difference to you and teach you how
to be a pro-sumer, not a consumer, by simply learning some basics, the basic fundamentals
of automobile ownership and maintenance. That is going to save you bucks, lots of bucks coming back
into your pocket. So the quality versus affordability has gone through the, gone out the window and
older is better and more reliable and it is proving itself every single vehicle that comes into the
shop here, the car connection workshop, older is proving itself to be the asset, not a liability.
That's where I'm going with that. This new stuff, I could not imagine being in a position
with an F-150 or Silverado and the engines done on the Silverados. It is such a disease right now
and it's disgusting because people having first engine 5.3, 6.2, they're falling apart,
seizing up without any warning whatsoever. And if you're still making a payment and paying insurance,
your vehicle is down and some of these vehicles are down for a second and third time, engine.
And now Ford's got issues, 70,000 trucks have been parked because of a rear axle issue.
The NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Act has kiboshed that. These aren't going out on the road
so they're parked. Whatever is new on the lot is sitting there. The axles are not going to be
available according to FAMOCO six to 12 months.
I don't know. You know what? I look at Mr. Greenjeans 1967. He's part of our fundraising
fleet. We get out there and we put signs all over him and stuff and let people sit in, have their
picture taken and whatnot. 1967 and he's still here and running and reliable. Come on. Seriously.
Which technology should be better? Today's automobiles, like the last five years,
let's go from like 21. Everything I've been watching, hearing and listening and reading about
is like from 2021 and up. Our absolute bags of hammers when it comes to the domestic. So be
careful out there what you're buying. Really, really, really, really, really do your homework.
And if you want to ask me questions, go ahead. Fire away. It's motormouth.jankins at gmail.com.
I don't want to see anybody that's within earshot of this program getting stuck like that. There's
people all across North America. It's a real disaster right now. So all of you who are driving
like Hondas, Toyotas, Nissan's, even Kia's and Hyundai's, you're doing really good
with quality versus what the domestics are struggling with. Now Chrysler's better.
Not hearing too many things there. It looks like the Chrysler Hemmy tick is going by the
wayside. There are people from that have been F-150 Silverado truck owners that are jumping over
to Chrysler like crazy. So things are happening. And when you watch those trends, you got to
take a look at what's behind it. What's behind it all. So be a prosumer, not a consumer.
All our links are provided for you on the homepage or website so you can connect,
like, share, follow, join our online community, subscribe. If you're enjoying the videos,
many of you are. Make sure you do us a favor. Make sure you're subscribed because that helps
Skippy and I a great deal. We put 80 hours into programming every single week for you folks for
free. Help us out, would you? Thank you so much from both of us. We really, really appreciate that
that our efforts are being appreciated to help you. I'm not here for the car manufacturers.
I'm not in the seat for the service shops out there. I'm here for you. That's who I'm here for.
To teach you what I've learned in 44 years, being on the shop floor, working with my own clients,
working behind the scenes in a dealership to find out how that works. That was a rough four and a
half years, let me tell you. I went in as a mole and they worked me like a freaking dog and I made
the money. That's what the problem was. The problem for me was I'm working for $6.24 an hour
and my cleanup kid at the time, Sparky, he was making like $22.50 an hour and I'm going,
well, what's wrong with this picture? How would you like to do that job? My job there for 35,
40 years. No times no divided by no equals no. No, but I did it to learn what goes on behind the
scenes in a dealership and I learned a lot of stuff that I've been sharing. Some of it I've
shared with you. Some I will probably never be able to share and other stuff I can. So
help us out, like, share, follow, subscribe. Your comments matter on our videos. That helps to
push us forward a lot. The algorithms like that stuff. We're putting out three new videos every
single week. So whether you know a little bit about your automobiles or absolutely nothing,
you will grab nuggets of information that will save you from being ripped off out there. And I
mean, I don't like to use that term, but every email I've received for 32 years says, did I get ripped
off? So I'll put it back to you in your own English. You don't want to be ripped off. Well,
I've got a program coming up that I'm going to teach you all the details that you need to be
responsible for when you drop your keys off and the service advisor is writing up the repair order.
You have to take the helm and I'm going to tell you why. Because a majority of service riders
are lazy sacks of poop. They cut corners. If I took 10 work orders from 10 service desks at random,
I can tell you I will find problems with the work orders. And what gives me the right to say that?
Well, I put forth warranty work at a dealership for four and a half years. If a claim did not go
through, that was my baby to chase it down and make sure it went through. But first and foremost,
all the service tax needed to make sure that all the details were given to the service riders. So
we made work orders that were 100% accurate and complete every single time. I went to a class.
That's all we did for one whole week was learned how to make a thorough detailed and completed
work order. Nothing missed. One item's missed on a warranty claim and it's denied. If it's denied
twice, then that means the third time they're not paying it whatsoever. It could be a 10,000,
$15,000 warranty claim. You just lost that money for the dealership. So how important was it for
me to make sure that work orders were covered in detail and completed to the letter? Service
riders need to learn to get back to that because it protects you, the consumer. So I'm going to teach
you what I know about work orders and that's the first place and the first bone of contention
to prevent you from getting ripped off at a service center. You hang them with their own
rope is what my professor would say. So where does it start? It's in the details. It's in the
details. Make sure you get to the service desk. You have time to make sure that the work order
is filled out completely, completely. And then I'm going to give you some nuggets on that program
that will make your head spin. It will protect you. You, not them. You, it will protect you from
being ripped off. Okay? So we'll do that in a program. It may be a two-parter because I want
control of this. They won't do it. I can tell you that right now. They won't do it. And you cannot
have a service advisor like that, that short changes the work order working at a dealership
where there's warranty work involved. The work order has to be filled out accurately and completely
right to the nut. Nothing, no detail missed whatsoever. Okay, let's move on. That was a bit
of a rabbit hole, but I've been getting bombarded with emails. Did I get ripped off? Can you look
at this over? It can take, it's going on and it all has to do with the economy. People are looking
for any way they can lie, cheat and steal. Let's keep it simple. I've been, I've been on this
ride before three times where the economy has not been good and older vehicles and especially right
now gas misers. Yep, people will be hunting for them because the big Toronto buggies, they're not
doing so good on fuel. What does it cost to fill a Dodge Caravan? $230 I'm being told. Cheapers.
Are you kidding me? I think it's bad enough, 85 bucks. Somebody, I did a little survey
and that's what I'm hearing. $230 to fill a Dodge Caravan right now with fuel, not kids and gear.
So thank you to all those who've also been shopping in our merchandise store on our homepage.
We have an online store put together by Freedom Expressions. Thank you. That's part of Total
Freedom Addiction Campuses. Any item you purchase proceeds head right towards Total Freedom Addiction
Campuses Canada and US to help support those who are ready to take on their addiction and get through
it, get around it, under it, past it and receive a new life. So thank you to all those who are doing
that means a lot to us to Skippy and I as well. So let's move on this morning and get ready,
little rabbit hole on the work order, but that's coming up and that is the number one area that
you have to master. You have to because like I said, nine out of 10 service riders, they're lazy.
They just want to get your keys, get the car in the shop, but there's more to it than that.
The work order has to be complete to protect you, the consumer. All right, what does it mean? The
spring inspection really counts. It does and I'm going to share a couple of short stories if you can
believe that for a minute. It's true. The Toyota FJ Cruiser, the old seven heading for 400,000
kilometers. This will be the third time the alternator bearing is starting to screech a little
bit. It's chirping cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap. So a lady heard that and she said, oh,
you just need to, you just need to put some soap on the serpentine belt. My husband used to do that.
I go, okay. And I just smiled and we had a nice little chat and I walked away and I go, no,
it's not a soap issue on the serpentine belt thing. It is the rear bearing on the alternator
and this would be the third or fourth one coming up. I have to pull the file today,
but what does that mean that you just ignore it? Oh, no, I wouldn't do that if I were you
because I have had one of the alternators and the reason they go on the FJ is it's down low
where it gets a lot of road splash. The poor alternator is getting airflow, but it's getting
just pounded by road splash. And when I take the alternator out, it looks like it's been in
the bottom of the sea with SpongeBob SquarePants for the last 20 years. Just barnacle bill.
They look rougher than a stucco toilet seat when I get them out of there. So it's chirping and that
means get it out of there before it locks up because I had one lock up a few years back.
The original alternator lasted to almost 250, almost 250,000 and I haven't been doing as much
driving as I used to. I used to be on the road meeting clients and meetings and whatnot from
six in the morning to about six at night. But I don't do that anymore thanks to electronics. You
know, we can do zoom, we can do conference calls, all that stuff really saves a ton of fuel. But
anyways, that chirping noise, it started, that started on Saturday. I used the truck on Saturday,
the FJ, and it just started out of the blue. And the last time that happened, I was just,
I was at the butcher shop and everything was groovy. When I got there and I shut it off,
there were no noises. When I came out, the alternator was like screaming. So how does that
happen? It just happens. It's age. And like I said, it's open to road splash. That's why it's so
important. You're not splish splashing around in these big poodles that are on the side of the road.
Don't go playing with your car into that deep water. Not a good idea. Okay, fellas, it's mostly
fellas because I have Lake Scott at the end of my driveway, even still yet today. And how I didn't
get soaked to the gills was because I was far enough back and a fella comes scooting down,
he goes right into that Lake Scott. And it was, it was loud. That was deep. It was about six or
eight inches deep on the side of the road at the end of the driveway. And a big wave came up, but
it missed me. That was a good thing. And I right away said to myself, fella, you have no stinking
idea. Yeah, there goes some time off your starter motor, your alternator, and anything down low
in your engine bay area just took a power wash. Not a good idea, folks. Not a good idea. You see
those puddles move over or get your foot on the brake and slow down power washing your underside
of your engine bay with the puddle is not a good idea. Okay, number two, it's further. So the FJ
now has a rear axle seal that's just starting to leak. And I can smell axle, I can smell rear end
grease there 80W 90. It has a flavor that you'll never forget once you've smelt it the first time.
It's rougher than a stucco bathtub. But anyhow, yeah, that's another problem. They weren't there
at the beginning of winter. This is where I'm going. Those two problems, the alternator and
the right rear axle seal were not problems at the beginning of the winter. But they are now.
So which one of those two should I just ignore and allow the chaos and stress to come in when
the alternator pulley stops turning and you're a ways from home and the belt is smoking and it's
going to screech until it blows itself apart. And now you've got no power steering, no nothing.
You're dead in the water. Would that be a better idea to let it go that far? Probably not. Most
of you I would think would say that would really suck. Yeah, especially if it happens, the alternator
locks up in the drive through. And you're like 10 cars back with about 25 behind you. Yeah, that
would go over good. Yeah, big time. Okay, next one. The 99 Honda Civic DX hatchback five speed
air conditioning two door little beauty, the rocket we call it. What do we got going on with that one?
Oh yeah, a number of items. The one that really, really grabbed me was the right rear wheel
was locking up. For some reason, press the brake and the car would kind of dive at the right rear
like it was squatting like a dog to have a pee. And that was not good. I'm going well there's
either a broken shock back there or something else is causing it to lock up. So when I got the
wheels all off, taking the summies off and looking at the brakes, everything in the front looks good
because I did the whole front last summer, you can watch the videos on that replaced power steering
rack and pinion bellows on both sides, tie rod ends, and a full brake job. And there was something
else. But anyways, it's all on the videos from last year, last summer. And you can watch those
will show you what happens. And you're always going to be taught five things what it is where
it is how it works how it breaks and what you could have understood a little bit more about basic
vehicle ownership maintenance fundamentals that will save you thousands of dollars not hundreds
thousands of dollars because many times a $200 job turns into a $5,000 job because you ignore it.
You think it's going to go away? No, it's going to fester. Yeah, like a splinter like a nasty
splinter in your finger or your foot. Yeah, not good, especially with this pressure treated lumber.
One of those splinters, they're not good, they fester. So on the rocket,
a couple items there, the right rear brake. Somehow the emergency brake cable
was left on by somebody. That's all I'm going to say. I'm going to protect the guilty at this point.
And the brake drum was bright blue, like it got hot. And there was lots of stress on the rear
shoes back there. The wheel cylinder survived. They were brand new. Both sides I did rear brakes
and wheel cylinders on that car the year before. So somewhere around 2023-ish, 24.
But it survived. I cleaned it all off, readjusted the rear brakes. They were 10 miles out of
adjustment. So there's another spring issue that needs to be corrected. And the rear brakes just
fine. Everything's fine there. Some cosmetic surgery. You've got a little bit of Rusty's
coming out, breaking out, getting some acne there at the back. That needs to be addressed
before it goes too far. Because a car is definitely worth saving. It is gooey. It is so gooey underneath
you can't even touch anything without getting gooeyness on you. So it's well protected with
rust protection. What else did I see on there? Yes, have an oil leak at the distributor. So the
O-ring is leaking. And oil is oozing down the transmission housing to the underside. So it's
kind of got a little bit of automatic under-oiling at the moment. So we will get on that. And the
temperature gauge in the dash is not always steady eddy. It's kind of,
are we warmed up? I got heat. But the needle's showing it's still cold. So we need a gauge
sending unit. So and that happens to be underneath the distributor where the oil is leaking. So
we'll take care of those two items all at the same time. Doing a little bit of cosmetic surgery
on the front. I removed the front bumper cover. The sun has kind of baked the clear coat off the
bumper on the top of it. So I don't want it to fester and end up burning into the rubber
compound on the bumper cover. Because then trying to repaint it again, it doesn't work.
It always comes back. I've tried it. It always comes back. So the defections in the bumper cover,
if it's rippled or if the clear coat and the paint's burnt right off, the only way to fix it
is to replace it and have a body shop paint it. Or if you're good at body work, paint it yourself.
Yeah, clear coat, base coat, clear coat. So I'm taking care of that myself. I just have to water
sand the top of the bumper cover. So I took it completely off. And I know how to do that very
quickly. And the grille, you know, this black plastic stuff that goes gray. I think I've tried
just about every product on the freaking market for that. Oh yeah, our product brings it back and
it looks beautiful black again and it stays for about six months. No, it doesn't. Yeah. So I decided,
you know what, to get the grille out, you got to take the bumper cover off on this Honda. You
have to. You can't get your hand in there to get several screws out. You just cannot get your hand
in there. It's not going to happen. If you cut it off and put it in there on a stick, that might
work. But then your fingers aren't working. So yeah, you got to take the cover off. So I just
decided, you know what, I've tried every black goo and stuff that says it works and it doesn't work.
And it looks terrible when it turns gray. And it really takes away from the aesthetics of the car.
So that stuff bothers me. So I just pulled the whole bumper cover off. I'm going, I just said,
you know what, springtime, let's fix this stuff up. Then the car is back to 100%. So those are the
things you want to get after. You don't want them to fester. So your springtime inspection
really counts, folks. That puts you in the know and will prevent chaos and stress.
And that's what most of us need to get rid of. In fact, I'm going to start riding my bike again
this year, because I bought it many years ago. I was going through a very, very difficult time in
life. You know, 24 and a half year of marriage was done overnight. I had no idea it was coming.
And it put me into some serious stress. So I bought a bike and I put 1000 kilometers on that
summer. And I didn't die. Yeah. So my professor said, you need to stress relief, go buy a bike
that you can ride that you like. And that's what I did was great. That was great advice.
You know, a lot of times I just listened to the wildlife and stuff on the trail. And sometimes
I put some music in and go for a long ride. It was great. So it worked in 80 hours a week
in producing videos and YouTube shorts and podcasting and all the stuff that goes on behind
the scenes to keep that going can create a lot of stress and pressure. So the bicycle
is going to help me again. So get out. I'm going to be out there, go for an early morning ride
and de-stress, defrag. And that's what's important. You don't need your car causing
additional stress and chaos in your life. Amen. Am I the only one who feels that way?
Let me know in the comments. Send me an email motormouth.jankins at gmail.com. Don't forget
Fridays are fun Fridays. We just kind of talk about stuff. And Saturday is one hour of Q and A
questions and answers. I pull three questions that I like that have come in that I think could serve
others as well. And we go through those in detail. So great questions coming in. Get your questions
to me motormouth.jankins at gmail.com. And I'll look them over. And it may be your question
that I answered this Saturday on Car Connection Workshop Q and A questions and answers. If there's
a specific topic you would like me to address, again, send me an email. You have lots of ways
to connect with us now, more ways than ever to be able to engage with us through our YouTube,
Facebook, Instagram, Stevensvilleontheweb.ca. We are put down as a professional there
in the automotive category. And thanks to Skippy, that's a website that you put together to bring
the businesses of Stevensville and the community together. I like to call it a communal website
because that's what it is, is bringing business and people together. And so you can find me there
under the businesses tab. And you can also email me through our profile page there. But I always put
contacting information readily available to you in the description of our YouTube videos
and our podcasts. And I highly recommend that you read completely the descriptions. I put them
together myself. And I purposely put a lot of nuggets in there in the descriptions that will
help you a lot more, as well as watching the videos and listening to the podcast. I do that on
purpose, because if you take those description boxes and created that into a library, you would
have quite a few gold nuggets to help you to reduce the stress of owning and operating an
automobile. And this time here is prime time to take advantage of a full scale vehicle inspection.
So that you can see the good, the bad and the ugly. And as I shared already, what I just want to
just meander through life, like a river between two banks. Yeah, what I want to do that, you got
to have lots of money to do that, because your vehicle is going to let you down. And it's going
to let you down right at the most inappropriate time. Let me tell you, I have had that happen.
Pull into the dollar store. I don't know why they call it a dollar store.
Conways cost me $20 more at the dollar store. I don't know why that is. Anyhow, I pull in
to scoot into the dollar store, grab some supplies for the studio here, get back,
I get back to the truck, I turn the key and it's dead.
See what I mean? It happens to me too, folks. Not as often as I
wouldn't like. Would you like it to happen often or less opportunity for that kind of
thing to happen? Well, that's where you have to stay ahead of stuff. You've got to take advantage
of the inspections so that you're in the know. And that will relieve a lot of stress.
So now I know the condition of the rocket, what needs to be taken care of there and action is
taking place. Now I know I've got to go. The other thing on the rocket is the lifetime warranty
muffler looks great on the outside, but there was this annoying noise. I can't even really describe
it. It kind of sounded like sand in a beach ball. Does that make sense? You know, rattling around,
you're shaking around. Yeah, I don't know why sand would get in a beach ball. I don't know how
that would happen. But anyways, I can't figure that one out. But that's what it kind of sounded
like, a scraping, chuffing kind of sound. Well, I found out what it was. The lifetime muffler
looks great on the outside, but it's all cookie crumbs on the inside. So when you give it a nice
good shake or hoof it, like I did with my work boot and kind of push on it and rattle it,
it sounds like it's full of corn flakes. So it's the internal organs of the muffler
that are falling apart. So we have to deal with that too. So that was the third thing was the
aesthetics, keeping up on the aesthetics, don't let things slide. You know, you got a rust spot,
get it looked after. It's cheaper than buying another car that's unreliable. Trust me.
What I'm seeing going on out there when I say the five year old cars vehicles out there on
the domestic lineup, not good. The outcome is not good. There's a very good chance.
It's going to be chaos and they just need to fix this stuff. Simple as that. It should not be
happening. Not in this day and age with the technology and the engineering. Come on. Let's
go. I'm not saying that all companies can do it. Not saying they all walk on water or anything. You
know, every every brand, every make, every year, every model has its things, but the less things
is better. Am I right? Agreed. A 99 Honda Civic DX that's still alive doesn't give me a whole
lot of problems. That's where I'm going with it. How is that possible? It has not been a
disaster car by any means. It was loved by the first owner, maintained very well by the first
owner and it's ours to take it from there as the next caregiver and stay on top of things.
It has not been a stitch in trouble. 1999. If you wanted to take that to Florida tomorrow,
I'd have to get the bumper cover back on and put the grill in. You're on your way. Even with the
rattling muffler inside, it's still not going to stop it from driving. You're on your way.
This is what I'm talking about. If I can do it, you can do it. We have our car connection,
fleet maintenance system all put together for you. The profile page should be up by
end of the week. They're just waiting for photographs from me, pictures of the kit,
and so that you can see that special pricing for those who are subscribed to our YouTube channel
versus those who are not. So there's an possibility for an advantage there. I'm just saying.
So I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday. Enough said for today. Thank you for letting me chew
your ear off a bit. But you know what? I'm in your corner. No matter what, I'm in your corner. If you
want to learn and you want to put thousands of dollars back in your pocket and own an older
automobile and keep it for 300, 400, 500, 600,000 kmiles, it is definitely doable if the foundation
of that vehicle is in good shape. It is definitely doable. That's why I like to use some of our vehicles
as a great example of when you put the effort in, you become the winner. Because when you learn how
to play the car game properly and you know how it works with marketing and the white noise,
you can be a winner. Yeah. There's no losers in the car connection workshop. We're all winners.
That's right. 30-day fuel saving challenge is coming up. I'm watching radar. Next week,
we should be hovering around 60 degrees almost every day. So we're getting close when we can run
that because you know why that's going to save you guys minimum $100 a month in your pocket.
If you're willing to put in the work, the 30-day fuel savings challenge back to back,
if you do part two, you can possibly put another $2,400 in fuel savings in your pocket.
Want to play? I know how to do it. You just got to be a participant, not a spectator.
We'll see you tomorrow at 8 a.m. Thank you for tuning in to the car connection workshop. Your
host, Nile Motormouth. Jenkins in the driver's seat. Happy, healthy motoring. Peace, patience,
and kindness always. We'll see you at 8 a.m. Make it a great day. Bye for now.
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